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Martino: Tevez impossible to ignore

Argentina coach Gerardo Martino believes Carlos Tevez's form with Juventus meant it was impossible not to pick the striker.

Published

8 November 2014

Martino selected Tevez in his squad late last month for this month's friendlies against Croatia and Portugal, ending the 30-year-old's international exile of almost three-and-a-half years.

While Tevez's reputation as a troublemaker meant previous Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella never picked the former Manchester City forward, Martino reckons he cannot ignore the tenacious striker, who scored 19 goals in 34 matches as Juventus won Serie A last season.

Tevez has struck eight goals in 13 matches in all competitions so far this term.

"We have seen how him and [Lionel] Messi get along, playing with [Gonzalo] Higuain and with Sergio [Aguero], because they've been playing together [at Manchester City] for the last two years or so. And we have lost our sight about how he had played with Carlos [Tevez] in the past," Martino said.

"That will happen [Tevez and Messi will play together], it doesn't mean that will happen in the first minute, 10th or 70th of the game. That does not mean that he will be on the first 11 or on the bench.

"We will decide it eventually but this will happen sometime during next the two games, that we will have the opportunity to see them playing together."

Martino added: "He [Tevez] has been one of the best or one of the three best players of the Serie A during the last two seasons. Playing on the Juventus team that has won the championship repeatedly, that makes him worthy to be recalled."

Argentina will host Croatia in London on Wednesday, before facing Portugal in Manchester on November 18.

Tevez is set to play his final league match before the international window on Sunday when Juventus host Parma.